Nov. 'I 1892. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



271 



BLACK BASS IN LAKE GEORGE. 



r pFIB New York Stale laws v.-tnin the - li-ti n.riou betwtiCJl 



I the two species of black bass, now, wuoreglad toaay 



»1 i obsolete. The: call ih< artrall-moutL thi "Mack 



and ihr l.i': mouth the "Oswego" buss. A short 

 time, ago o man was arrested tor taking black bass from 

 Lake George andsci up liie defence t-lwil tixev wi re "Oswego" 

 bass. Tiim expert angler, .Mr. A. N. I heny, of Glen s r.-iii-. 

 being appealed te tOBettle Bic subject, wrote as follows: 



Tin iv i- perhaps no b*h iiibabitiug the waters of the 

 I niteil States thai bat been ioffioted with such a multitude 

 of names, both common and stientifle, us the black bass, 

 Where scientiiji were at variance, [t is ool strange thai the 

 laymnu should also become mixed upon this same subject, 

 so that lo-day, singular as it eBay appear, the black bass 

 is spoken of i:i various portions of the country as perch, 

 chub, trout., black perch, marsh bass, river ha'-s. u-.w.-go 

 bass, black bass, green baas, white bass, spottedbas? slough 

 bass, etc, etc. A f- ■■■ Smithsonian Institute, 



speaking through Prof. <Jill, straightened this vexed question 

 in » niitfisAire, by saying of the blai k bass: "There are but 

 two varieties, the small-mouth aiidthe large- 



mouthed black bass." The foirocr perhaps tnosl generally 

 called the "true black bass," and tetter the "Oswego has. " ' 



Prof, (.(ill's letter was written for and to <:<, 

 world, so that it remained for Dr, James A. Henshall of 

 Kentucky to treat the black bass not ODlyeclBntffleafly, bul 

 from tie- standpoint of an experienced .angler, lie having 

 fished ii'-:i .1 \ all sei lions of the United States foi this I 

 fish, iu a volume entitled "Tile Book, of the Black !'.-•" 

 This work is the result of years of patienl research and 

 thorough investigation in Ike Kerch, South and West, the 

 parlicularhabitai of our dusky friend. Dr. Heushall is now 

 the recognized authority upon the fish of which he treats, as 

 he has lofted and pruned the writings of dead and gone 

 naturalists, and has had the assistance oi the best known 

 livin aid as could be rendered by the Braitli 



[ustitute, the fountain head i f the U. B. Pish Com- 

 mission ami the highest court in matters ichthyoiogical, 



For yoars 1 struggled to get the bans question clear in my 

 own mind; anglers differed, writers differed and the fi.-li 

 differed, w that 1 was one nf tin- many who were groping in 

 thi dark, when I thought 1 was comparatively in the light. 

 Yon ask wh I kind of oassaue found in Lake George, and i 

 answer, backed by the authority 1 have quoted small 

 tncuthed black bass, and these alone. The large-mouth, 

 sometimes called Oswego bass, is not to be Eouucuu Lalke 

 George. Selu-oon Ukd KiViuv Lake, Long Pond, the I lu<l- 

 son or Sucantlaga Rivers, i] Lean judge from tlteexamina 

 tn.:i of hundreds of specimens. and the examination was 

 made with this object in view. Thebassin the Hudson and 

 Baeanda4(a rivers came co'igiimlly Ironi Effner Lake, in Sura. 

 toga county. The Sehrooh Lake bass came from the same 



source. Lake George always I i.ii'i.-d bass, or, at least. 



tht memory of man runneth "not to the contrary. (Hen Lake 

 was stocked with bass from Lake George. 



The great diifcronce found in the bass in tht> waters- named 

 ia in the coloration; then is no structural difference, li is 

 sn v.eii ituowri that lend, bottomand water affect tht color 

 of fish, thai a moment's thought will account for thi- marked 

 difference in external colorations. Sould anyone, ho 

 doubt, let him take two bass alive and put them in a fish 

 ear. and in a shori time t.hev will become of the same hue 

 Although our authorities upon fish nomenclature do not 

 now rccognizi such a fish as the Oswego bass, this title \\ as 

 used to designate the large-mouthed bass, so thai it was fl 

 misnomer to have applied it. at any time, to the bass in Lake 

 George, The) have been too long knows by a name thai 

 did not belong to them, and it is time thej assumed their 

 ancient name— black bass, small-mouthed variety — and let 

 "Oswego,'" as applied to bass.be relegated into lbs ''.no- 

 where." 



<o^ 



CANOEING ON THE MATAPEDIA. 



VI. I, aboard. •' an 1 Hi.- voice of Conductor Caue cai 

 in muffled sound- ihrnugh tin- d 



oped the si,. 



P. M ..' September !i with a drizzling rain, no: at alia 

 pleasant prospect for the Doctor and ], who wire bound for 

 the Mauipedia River to haw- a lew days' fishing, 



"Fine weather by inorning." says the Doctor in reply to 

 ni\ (pi- -lion, "how long was (bis kind of washing going to 

 kc-i." and tie- Doctor's words proved pretty near the truth, 



Doctor Armstrong and self had with us all the necessary 



camp and otherfj 3 delightfui 



-..', 3:15 A. M.. and we soon had our baggage on 

 the platform of that station. Here we were to lake canoo, 

 and as we had a few hours to wait the arrival of OUT birchen 

 hark, we iciiivd into the Station and were soon wrapped in 

 o\iir blankets and slumber, 5:30 A. M. saw our canoe purt- 

 tjuLi iii its appearance round the bmd of the river in charge 

 oi' Blais, and soon our traps were snugly siowd away. 

 The Doctor lakes ihe paddle and 1 the pole, and with a 

 wave of his hand and b<m voyage from BlaiS we were in the 

 current, moving dOWU Stream rapidly. 



This was my first attemptat canoeing, and I began to 

 gave some misgivings as to the safety of this mode ot trans- 

 port when J saw the rapid-, that v e were 'apidly approaching, 

 the river was vCrj high with the recent rains, and blind 

 rocks were now and then introducing themselves to our 

 eial'i. some of which 1 Lhougut would rip 'he bottom off her. 



■ St.-ady." roars the Due., "and mind your pole.'' and 

 With the speed of an cxpn-s train we shot in among the 

 -n-iiiP-capped wave-, whizzing past boulders, drenched with 

 u all r and we w ere I lirougb the tlrst rapids. 



Came to anchor and commenced li.-hing. luii with poor 

 ■ aisled our anchor and proceeded. We are now 

 coming to tie- Devil's Elbow, but the name of this was 

 Bprsc than Its apjie ranee. We shot through nicely. 

 Tried Qauiog again; same success. Proceeded to Metallic 

 Brook, here we had good luck. After a spell, up anchor 

 and away, 



The current no ■ ici -in -nui b. and wv ( an 



handle the paddle. Leisurely we move along, taking in Hie 

 Beauties Of the bank- that bttve now donned their autumnal 

 color i. What a panorama' Nature IS lavish la iv with h< i- 

 coloring, tint upon tint of the brightest hues so thoroughly 



Shown to advantage by flu 



m& Doctor shout, "Mind the pole,!" Now tossed bo one 



side o; Ihe rapid, now the Other, ju.- going b> climb over a 

 huge rock, bill miraculously missing it. we whizz along, 

 e.veiy wave seeming to swamp us; but QUI - little craft -hoots 

 into a calm little nook, whose surface is only disturbed by 

 the ripple of our canoe. We have run the Ilellsgate of the 

 Hutapcdia, or as il is. better kuowu, the Assuinelqughau 



Falls, the most dangerous of the many on that river, and 

 more ,-peeially us it was then swollen high with heavy 

 rains. We, however, lost our double-barreled gun runniUg 



this last rapid; when the einoe struck a blind rocii -<v.<\ -i\ • 



fLCant around, the gun, which was lying with its muzzle 

 projecting over tin- thwarts, droppBd out. The Doctor sura 



it s not lost, as WC know when- il is. 



Previous to this we shot a number of sheldrake, which are 



mv\ destructive to salmon f^y. and we brought h i-« ■ 



-p.. linens with us, bul now wegel no more. 



Con, m inced Bshing, which was very indifferent. Evening 

 drawing to eh. -, wfi -iarted for MeKinnon's BroOk, We 

 soon came in view of the quiet little brook and had our 

 cam"- a-hore, put up our tent, and -upper in a very .-lenl 

 time, accompanied by black flies. They just came into the 

 teal by ihe cubic foot and stayed there, they cam.- to spend 

 the evening. What a blistering we got; we 'smoked Ihem out 

 after a while, and our-i-lw>. t00. 



Tried fishing by torch light, but no use. 



Ourcamp lire attracted the attention of i wo ti.-.hermen 

 who were lingering over theii last pool for the evening, and 

 they came up to see us. \Yr wen- delighted to meet them 

 R. Bowes ami J, V Talbot- twoweUknown characters on 

 this river; they -pent quite a while chatting and deploring 

 the hcighlh of ihe river. After smiling all round tin v left us 

 with their guide. P. Lepage, who was somewhat surprised 

 at us running lie- river in its present State. 



We were aronseu from our slumbers ai 5 A. W. by the 

 Whistling of a passing tram. Soon had our rods ready, but the 

 morning veas cold and foggy, and we. did not have much 

 success. We returned to camp and had our breakfast. 



The fog n. m bigiiis lo lilt and the mountains come into 

 view; old Sol puts in his appearance and -non the surround- 

 ings are changed, every leaf glistening in the morning sun, 

 the cry of the kingfisher heralding the advance of morning! 



On the way again, fishing every pool until we came to 

 iBri ige, anchored under it and caught a first 



Weather cold, but halfadozen blankets liept us pretty snu°'.' 

 Next morning forwarded our fish to various points where 



they were expected, ill all forlv-scveii pound-, and -la it ed 

 on our last day's canoeing, and with better fishing as we 

 proceeded: soon came to .Mafupedia without anv mi-hap. 



and as this was ih. last of our water route wo transferred 

 our canoe and camp fixing- to the west-bound train, and 

 with them ihiriyiwo pounds of speckled beauties to .M. W. 

 Creau. Kiver ibi l.oup, for distribution- among our friends 



in that vicinity, oar flrsl lot having bee it to St. Johns, 



N, B. The Doctor and I part here; good bye, Doc, and 

 the train talftss ne- wesl satisfied, c u 



QC8BBC, October 24, [tea. 



THE ANGLERS' TOURNAMENT. 

 Editor Foreft an<l Stream: 



fn the last is-ue of your pleasing and instructive foUrnal 

 I was much interested in an article on the anglers' tourna- 

 ment; il was graphic and honest. 1 think thai to -ueh 

 notices, jtist as much as to good casting;, will depend ihe 

 future success of our annual tournaments. Pair pla\ is 

 very essential ?<> excite honorable emulation in every laud 

 of conn -t. but il is especially required in developing the 

 liicesl skill of the "genii.- art." Thus feeling, I think it. 

 my duty io correct a Blighl inaccuracy which occurs in 

 your account of the contest. Vou say I only once threw 

 my Hies over eighty-five feet. The fact is I cast ninety feet 



just before I made Ihe ninety-one. 



Tie- accounts publi.-hed 'iu some of the papers intimate 

 that I couid not throw overhand. That is » mistake, I 

 think 1 can ea-t overhand just, a- well a- any other way, 

 but 1 prefer my method, firstly, because 1 can' east with less 

 Hum half the labor, and do more fishing in • hall' a mile 

 than 1 could do in. three miles, by the overhand throw; sec 

 ondly. because 1 can make a greater reach with more accu- 

 racy than by the overhand method; thirdly, because I 

 woula nOt Cbnsider mv Hies and leader.- eii Ik i ornamental 

 or useful to the trees along a wooded stream. Someof 

 these gentlemen also think that iiv mv meihod I would 

 frighten all ihelish. Ah. that would be very bad indeed. 

 And to think that in forty-five yeara' experience 1 should 

 noi have sii-pecied that my method was frighteuinn the 

 poor little fishes. Perhaps that was the reasoa why I have 

 ne, iv.-d m, many invitations lo join fishing parties' They 

 knew I would I lighten the ti-h. and then they would the 

 moiv easily catch them. As you know if one should got 

 frightened (say while crossing Broadway) by one horse he 

 wdl be almost sure to run under the feel of another, so ;.iv 

 friends wauled me along to frighten the fishes from my own 

 line so that they would rush upon their's; filling thi ir bas 

 Kete rapidly. Now. after the publication of this exposfi, 1 

 shall expect invitations to all the private ponds, that I may 

 serve to make the success of my frieuds complete. 

 New York, Oct. 80, 1882. 11. PliKJiAlin. 



Lajige Bass in -im: Dn,.\ w.uti:. — Belvedere, X. .1.. 

 Oct. :'il.-On the 81st day of August, fishing at the foot of 

 Foul Rift, on the Delaware "River, 1 took with a -mall 

 joiuted rod and line a black bass weighing 



^mffcultun. 



tied III 



what t 



them 

 bad liu 

 ing the; 



nhi-ihiKl I 



ponds 



large ones, made their e-v.-, 

 deredby the vast nes- of thi 

 game fish, sought refuge in il 

 the main stream. Thousand 

 were destroyed, though the i 

 the upper waters of the c-n 

 sprang the innumerable quati 

 While's Creek has been depoi 

 - itea for myriads 



rto 



carp o. 



not take iheb. 



like mo 



les of fishing ha 



mv mir 



d whether the 



fic'cut 



o stock the ei 



the Cm 



nberland River. 



suit, as 





which, 



like White's Crc 



dining 



;he summer anc 



mgand 





parent 



calamity of tb. 



value r< 



) the communis 



fish con 



lmissioner for i 



Kouest 





m it to s. 





I have 





in-.- -..li 



e ••! the suspec 



■■ ■ 



oi- then- be- 

 i which the 

 er of can) 

 mil no few 

 ubt, bewii- 

 chased by 

 ibutary of 



enee there was no 

 ad hatvlnng. As 



nplyirig into it 

 pools or holes 

 >a wning. hatch- 



in the 

 iiper- 

 what 

 ateh- 



should seine the creek himself and b 

 findmgs.— J. D. H. fNashvflle, Oct. •. 



■IIJV. SOTIRAM1 IK INDIA. -It is announced in the Bom- 

 bay (>'<!:< ■/'.-: that u tish association in the Madras Presidency 

 has just accomplished the task of transporting some gourami 

 from Ma Ira-. One hundredof the fry were despatched in 

 c-» alien" are and tin ves-el-. and completed tlie jouraey with- 

 out, any apparent damage, having been kept cool and fed upon 

 the larv.-e ol mosquitoes and other insects. Very shortly after 

 ili.-ir arrival at. Bombay they were taken to the banks of the 

 \ eliar reservoir, v.-ju-.,-,.- they are intended to become the pro- 

 genitors of a new- race. This large piece of wau-r has now 

 been in exlstenc&asa lake for about eighteen years, and it is 

 regarded by tlie learned in pisciculture as an admirable home 

 for the gourami. as there is no reason to believe that it con- 

 tains pike or other creatures endowed with pru'latory habits. 

 On the other hand, the new tish are expected to prove of 

 beuefil to the reservoir by clarifying the water in which they 

 are to live and multiply. The experiment, if successful, may 

 lead to a great extension of pisciculture throughout the Presi- 

 dency and the whole peninsula. 



FISnCULTfRE tK ENGLAND.— We learn that ; 



Fie 



elev 



i ounce-; length, twenty-three inches; cit 

 l and q half inches; width, six and a half i 

 ue hours before In 



•Sl b:l 



er tal- 



S1X j.O 



Ulllfi i-i 

 iche-, 

 ighed. 

 ,vith rod and lit 



. on foot, to fi 

 perhaps, to our o 

 erei VereininGeiiiia, 

 are Mr. W. 0. Chambers, a j 

 terest in the subject, and A 

 Fishing Gazette. A'public i 

 the Dshculturists take hold o 

 why the government should 

 in a practical way bo suppl; 

 hope and believe 'that the f 

 England is the beginning of 

 making fisheulture. a natior 

 should have been years ago. 



. England similar, 

 ociatiou, or to the Fisch- 

 ho have taken hold of it, 

 i long known for his in- 

 Mar-ton, editor of the 

 rill soon be called, and if 

 a will, there is no reason 

 induced to do something 

 .pie with Bsh food. We 

 - association in 

 vork w hieh will end in 

 ution in England, as it 



QUTNNAT SALMON IN GERMANY.— We laara through 



the /-7,,-/,e,-,./ Xrihimi that Mr. Schuster, proprietor of theeeTe- 

 brated fish farm at Freiburg, in Baden, has tweived the large 

 silver n-edaloftheSoci.-ie d T Acclimatationof Paris, for his suc- 

 ees- in keepingandgrowing tb-- - ■ ■„ ,mt iu confine- 



ment until the fourth year, and until the development of their 

 spawn, Mr. Schuster is one of the most enthusiastic and suc- 

 cessful of German fisheiilturisis. 



CA HI-CULTURE IN MISSC 

 has been employed by tie >l I ■ - 

 struct carp ponds near St. L-> 

 model of his father's famous por 

 Mr. Eckardt has spent many yei 

 scale. 



carpculturo 



vkai-do 

 to con- 

 ter the 

 young 

 a large 



jlmwer$ to {&arr&#ondeni$. 



.:w EtooBSLliE, — Your tish is tlie Wing," and is not uncommon a 



ss do the Mack spaniels owe their 



.i";e pattern for lioth puns, under 

 fnghasm 

 l.-rhiieli, eleven months Old, not 

 il luvpi.rly trained-, Ans. ll i!e 

 ■ • dog, Many pmfeT to leave their 



, I believe, weighing seveu and 

 ! have been take; 

 not in I 



the Delaware. 



and a quarter pounds have been taken in some of lie- ponds 

 and lake- of this State, but not in the Delaware. During 

 liu- first week in Angust I look four bass, weighing -even. 



teen pounds, from tie- same river, iia— tishm- iu Mk- 

 JMaw...rc has noi been good in this Bection, although -ome 

 good string.- have been made. I he writer has lakcu about 

 Kit) -ince ihe (sl of .Inly, many of Ihein weighing from one 

 pound to live and a half pounds.— 1. It. 



Dkviii oi- Coi.onki. Ifovr.— Col. Thomas .1. lb 

 eilv. died at the Victoria Hotel. Oct 24 last. He 

 tlemaii of large libeiality. tine physique, of the 

 tegrity, superior business attainments, and i 

 Benin! in hia social relations. His death isgreftt] 

 l by 



i h.- Adii 



id 



ale, bs 



cks, at Bartlett's. 



IS tO 1*9 the recollection Of hi- pleasant WI 



npaniouship." Hisfamilyand immedia 

 ur deepest sympathy.— R. N. 



! 3 deplored 



tCC i:v "13 



in for Vi iv 



There only 



a I , ,y- 



■ 



i.i.i -:;i no. Va.. Oct. 88, 1883.— Dr, Elzey, Kev. Dr. 

 Davis, Btr. Hickman, and the Murrays cuuglit thiriv bass 

 one day this week on Goose Creok.— T. W. 





Ilhel 



We e.-dl utentioa to the notto ol the uaw "AHantfd Bo I 

 Hill, Florida. puhhslieJ in thi 



This house supplies a great deficiency beretojtpra esistillg in Florida, 

 \ iz. : a place where tourists can enjoy e.lt the advantages of a really 

 ih-stelus.s lieiel. in a section 01 country wnere game and ilsh remain 

 comparatively intact. Tlie proprietor Ikls spKi-ed au pains, jisnic 

 ulaily Iu Ilk- matter of good fi&Js ami ..\..-..-i|.-iu ■:„,.,,,.■, lu ufford 

 Uis guests a comfortable horae.-.trfe 



